Thursday 26 March 2020



Hun Sen Fails Covid-19 Test


“However, a drop in trade volume cannot be avoided because the pandemic is going to affect economic activity at a global level.”

Anonymous official at the Vietnamese Embassy in Phnom Penh, 20 March 2020, The Phnom Penh Post



«ក្រសួងសុខាភិបាល​របស់​យើងអត់​ទាន់​មាន​ផែនការ​រួម​ទេ​។ មាន​ការ​ប្រជុំ​បន្ទាន់​មួយ​ដែរ ប៉ុន្តែ​អត់​មាន​ធ្វើ​អ្វី​ផង​។ ទម្លាក់​មក​ឲ្យ​ខាង​សន្តិសុខ​វិញ​។ បញ្ហា​ក្រសួង​ដែល​យើង​ហៅ​មក​លើក​មុន មកដល់ពេលនេះ គាត់​ខំ​ប្រឹងប្រែង ប៉ុន្តែ​នៅ​មិនទាន់​គ្រប់​ជ្រុងជ្រោយ នៅ​មាន​ការ​ខ្វះខាត​ច្រើន ហើយ​ខ្វះ​ធនធានមនុស្ស​។ ចំនួន​មនុស្ស​ដែល​ថា ២០០០ នាក់​ហ្នឹង​អត់​មាន ដូច​ការ​បាន​ត្រៀម​ទេ​។ អ្នក​ដែល​ធ្វើការ​នៅ​សល់​តែ​ប៉ុន្មាន​នាក់​ដដែល។»

​អគ្គនាយកនៃ​អគ្គនាយកដ្ឋាន​ស្រាវជ្រាវ​ចារកិច្ចនៃ​ក្រសួង​ការពារជាតិ និង​ជា​អនុប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​ត្រួតពិនិត្យនៃ​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​មជ្ឈិមបក្ស ហ៊ុន ម៉ានិត ថ្ងៃ​ទី២ ខែ មីនា ឆ្នាំ​២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី



“More than 1,000 people came in and we have not yet checked their health and they go to their villages. Now I asked each provincial governor to instruct local authorities to ask the people who have just returned from Thailand to let doctors check their health.” [the number is now updated to 15,000]

Interior Minister Sar Kheng, 23 March 2020, Khmer Times



“Cambodians are panicking... Parents are panicking.”

Psychiatrist and former dean of the University of Medical Sciences Dr Ka Sunbaunat, 18 March 2020, Khmer Times



ទីផ្សា​របញ្ជាទិញមួ​យចំនួន បានស្នើ​ឲ្យមានកា​រផ្អាកដឹកជ​ញ្ជូនទំនិញទៅ​កាន់ទៅទីនោះ គឺសំ​ដៅទៅលើទីផ្សា​រសហរដ្ឋអា​មេរិក និងទីផ្សា​រអឺរ៉ុប ដែលពេលនេះ​ទីផ្សារធំទាំង​ពីរ កំពុង​ទទួលរងនូវផលប៉ះ​ពាល់ពីកូ​វីដ-១៩យ៉ាងខ្លាំ​ង។

អគ្គលេខាធិ​ការរង និ​ងជាអ្នក​នាំពាក្យសមា​គមរោង​ចក្រកាត់ដេរនៅ​កម្ពុជា កាំង ម៉ូនីកា ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី១៩ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ​២០២០ វិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិ



Hun Sen is right Covid-19 fear is worse than the virus. The irony is that he, who has instilled fear on others to maintain power, now must squash public fear to sustain his power. Perhaps, as a fear monger, he could also control, not just inflicting, it.

Nevertheless, there are crucial indications that, by design or by sheer incompetence, he has whipped up fear of Covid-19. First, he fails to make Cambodia a self-sufficient economy in food security. It has run chronic and severe trade deficits in foodstuffs, especially with Thailand and Vietnam. As they now close the borders due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, food imports will be disrupted. So confirms the Vietnamese embassy. Their priority is their own citizens, not Cambodians.

Second, measures to contain the pandemic are persistently ineffective. Khmer Times has called for the Health Minister’s sacking. Hun Manit says the Ministry is incompetent. The latest blunder is an unmonitored passage at border checkpoints of some 15,000 migrant workers returning home from Thailand. Sar Kheng is frantic fetching them for testing after the ship has sailed. A BBC analysis indicates if one carrier infects 1.5 persons, the total number of the infected will only be 57 in 30 days. However, if 2.5 persons is infected, the 30 days number will rise exponentially to 406. Sar Kheng should panic.

Third, Hun Sen now divides scarce resources between containment and treatment phase. He is looking for empty hotels and schools to house infected patients. It may be a pre-emptive strike, but he forgoes the opportunity to flatten the contagion curve. A run-away infection will overwhelm the health system that he rejects for his personal care, despite a two-week crash course in fighting Covid-19 offered by seven Chinese doctors who have just flown in.

Fourth, Hun Sen has established a National Commission for Combatting Covid-19 that has no public health experts in charge, only politicians like himself and other five deputy premiers. If experiences of other long-established commissions to combat critical problems, like deforestation and drug trafficking, can be of any guide, this new commission solely groups those who can do nothing individually to sit and decide that nothing can be done together.

Hence, it is Hun Sen’s incompetence that induces public fear and panic. If psychiatrist Sunbaunat is right, a public panic has begun. Only the well-off or well-connected can afford to access and hoard foodstuff amidst price gouging. Many will lose their job and incomes. Garment buyers have announced their order suspension. Tourism has stalled with empty hotels and unemployed guides. Debts, rents, and other non-discretionary payments can no longer be made. Economic activities will grind to a halt. Lives will be lost to the virus.

If his drawcard is China, Hun Sen might be cushioned from long-run impacts of the pandemic. The question is then what he will do in return for the Chinese favour. He will lie again and say, “anything, but sovereignty”.

Pol Pot would be smiling in his grave, proud of his clone.


Ung Bun Ang
26iii20




Fake News You Can Use


Hun Sen may fail to contain Covid-19, but he has enjoyed a better success in limiting the contagion on social media. In the last few weeks, he has had 17 persons arrested, several Facebook accounts blocked, and over 74 Facebook accounts and pages closely watched. Hun Sen accuses them of peddling misinformation to whip up fear and panic to smear his good name and of his regime. He does not need their help to do that, does he?

He insists everyone take in “official” information. He is so calculating that he releases the number of infected persons in the night perhaps so that few people know about it. This way he does not smear his good name, not generate fear, and gets himself arrested.


“The official announcement is being delayed to late evening or even night so that when the news breaks, people may be in bed and will miss the immediate impact of the news.”

Anonymous Ministry of Health official, 23 March 2020, Khmer Times



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Saturday 14 March 2020




Hun Sen’s Reactions to Coronavirus: Courageous or Foolish?



«បើយើងនៅតែលាក់លៀម អត់បានទេ។ យើងត្រូវហ៊ានចេញមក នៅពេលយើងមានការសង្ស័យបញ្ហា។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១១ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍


«បើសិនពលរដ្ឋកម្ពុជាមិនជឿជាក់លើពេទ្យកម្ពុជា ពួកគេមិនដឹងទៅទីណាទេ ព្រោះបើសិនជាអ្នកណាម្នាក់ មានផ្ទុកមេរោគនេះ ថៃនិងវៀតណាមនឹងមិនឲ្យអ្នកនោះ ចូលប្រទេសពួកគេទេ។»

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍


«មានតែពង្រឹងជំនឿទុកចិត្ត ដំបូងជំនឿទុកចិត្តលើខ្លួនឯងតែម្ដង។ ជំនឿ ទុកចិត្តលើខ្លួនឯងយ៉ាងម៉េច ប្រាប់ថាអញអត់ឈឺទេ ។ អញអត់មានឈឺអីទេ។ ដូច្នេះ អាណាចង់បំផុស បំផុស[ទៅ] ទីចុងបំផុត អញអត់ឈឺ ។ អ្នកដទៃទៀតដែលគេថាឈឺ ក៏អត់ឈឺដែរ។»

នាយក រដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្ងៃទី ១០ ខែមីនា ឆ្នាំ ២០២០ ភ្នំពេញប៉ុស្តិ៍


“We have the right to listen to phone conversations. We have a warrant from the courts or prosecutors.’’

Prime Minister Hun Sen, 11 March 2020, Khmer Times


“I am not a medical expert so I cannot describe the current situation of the virus. But as a journalist who keeps track of Health Ministry updates, we know there was only one case involving a Chinese man. The ministry has not announced any new cases. This is good news for Cambodia.”

Club of Cambodian Journalists president Pen Bona, 5 March 2020, Khmer Times



«ខ្ញុំ​គិត​ថា ត្រឡប់​ទៅ​វិញ ​ខ្ញុំឲ្យ​ពេទ្យ​យក​សំណាក​ខ្ញុំ ទៅ​មើល​ដែរ ព្រោះ​ខ្ញុំ​និយាយ​ទៅ​ដូច​រាង​តឹង​ច្រមុះ ព្រោះ​អ៊ីចេះ​តែ​កាល​ណា​ខ្ញុំ​ដំឡើង​ម៉ាស៊ីន​លើស​តែ​ពី​មួយ ម៉ោង​ទៅ វា​តឹង​ច្រមុះ​ហើយ​វា​ជា​ទម្លាប់​របស់​ខ្ញុំ​ទេ។ ម៉ា​ឆឺត​នឹង​ទៅ​ណា​គេ​ថា កូរ៉ូណា។»

នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ​ថ្ងៃ​ ទី៩ ខែ​មីនា ឆ្នាំ២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី




Hun Sen has eventually confessed he can no longer cover up the dead elephant with his basket. In a media blitz, he reveals his reactions that involve drastic demands on the public. Are they helpful?

He asks the people to trust the State healthcare system – the one they have not for decades. Only the poor put up with local medical services; others prefer healthcare in neighbouring countries. Even Hun Sen himself flies to Singapore even for a routine health check. Yet, he warns they have nowhere to go, because Thailand and Vietnam will not let any COVID-19 carriers into their countries. It must be unsettling for the well-off.

Hun Sen asks the people to be self-confident to deny being infected and to reject as fake any news not in line with his. He does not trust their ability to work out what a fake news is. He has imposed a tight control over information flows. He brands anybody peddling “fake” news as terrorists; so far three have been arrested. Hun Sen warns that his regime has the power to listen in on private phone conversations. In local media that claim to be professional, a journalist club president accepts government words as the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, throwing critical thinking to the gutter.

Anyhow, it is doubtful if Hun Sen’s reactions so far have contributed to building up the public self-confidence he longs for. First, Hun Sen appears gung-ho in responses to COVID-19; but deep down, he may be scared and perhaps panicking. He says he is thinking of having a coronavirus test for an apparent stuffy nose. He also says it is usual for him to have it after working out. Is he making jokes with the virus? Or is he just plain anxious?

Second, he claims fighting the coronavirus contagion is his top priority and he has a plan to fund it. He orders three ministries to cut down their non-salary expenditures by 25%; the rest by 50%, and to postpone all government-funded constructions. The Ministry of Public Works has no idea what road constructions this year will cost. The Ministry of Economy and Finance does not know the amount earmarked for government projects. Later, it announces $30 million for a six-month period; then, it jumps to $400 million. The latest amount is $800 million for the first six months. Hun Sen now says the fund is no longer solely for fighting the virus, but also for coping with impacts of the forthcoming dry season. The plan looks more like a knee-jerk reaction.

Third, he asks the public to wear krama, or Khmer scarf, to avoid infections. He hangs it around his neck, leaving his nose exposed, as if it has magic power to ward off COVID-19. He instils a false sense of security into the people he wants to be brave, while a proper mask is still susceptible to the virus penetration.

Hence, Hun Sen’s reactions may cross over the line between courage and foolishness.


Ung Bun Ang
14iii20



Funny News You Can Use


Hun Sen’s ego has grown so huge that it is highly unlikely he would be prepared to eat humble pie, after the following curt exchange between himself and a young reporter on the issue of people’s trust in the State healthcare system.

According to Hun Sen’s logic, now that there is one Cambodian reportedly infected with the virus, he admits the public does not trust the health system. No wonder he has been trying so hard to sell it to the sceptic.



ហ៊ុនសែន [ហស]: ​ “ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋមិនជឿទុកចិត្ត តើប្រជាពលរដ្ឋណាខ្លះបានឈឺជម្ងឺហ្នឹងហើយ? សួរនាងអែងអោយឆ្លើយខ្ញុំ អាសំនួរហ្នឹងសិន… តើប្រជាពលរដ្ឋណាខ្លះឈឺ ហើយមិនជឿទុកចិត្ត… ឈឺហើយនៅ?
ញឹក​ស្រីលក្ស៍ [ញសល]: “ចា៎ស អរគុណសម្តេច… ក្មួយចង់សួរទាក់ទងថាតើ យើងមាន
ជំនឿចិត្ត របៀបម៉េចឲ្យពួកគាត់(ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ) ជឿលើវិស័យសុខាភិបាល
របស់យើង?
ហសៈ ប៉ុន្តែខ្ញុំសួរ មនុស្សឈឺហើយឬនៅ?
ញសលៈ សំរាប់កម្ពុជា មិនទាន់មានអ្នកជម្ងឺណាម្នាក់ឈឺដោយសារ…”
ហសៈ ចុះបើមិនទាន់មានអ្នកជម្ងឺ ម៉េចបានជាមិនជឿ?
ញសលៈ ចា៎ស​សម្តេច ថាការសង្ស័យ…”
ហសៈ (កាត់សំដី) អាហ្នឹងមកពីយើងបន្ថែមតើ?
ញសលៈ ចា៎ស សម្តេច “ ។

នាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ ហ៊ុនសែន និង អ្នក​កាសែត​កញ្ញា ញឹក​ស្រីលក្ស៍ ​​  ថ្ងៃទី១៦ កុម្ភៈ ២០២០ វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី




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Pseng-Pseng is published irregularly. Previous issues are archived at pseng-pseng.blogspot.com